


A Suitable Candidate

by Bitterblue



Category: Bitterblue - Kristin Cashore, Seven Kingdoms Trilogy - Kristin Cashore
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-02
Updated: 2012-06-02
Packaged: 2017-11-06 15:07:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 519
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/420239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bitterblue/pseuds/Bitterblue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The law no longer requires that the Queen of Monsea marry nobility.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Suitable Candidate

Sometime between determining that Monsea should, perhaps, follow the example of Nander and allow local commoners to be elected members of a council to advise her and finding that Monsea was one of an ever diminishing number of kingdoms, Bitterblue had thought to officially, legally do away with whatever provisions required she married nobility.   
  
("They're useless things, anyway. The nobility haven't taken very good care of this country, I don't see why I should be forced to have babies with  _any_ of them."   
  
"Hmm," Po had said, pulling a face. "This doesn't have to do with anyone in particular?"   
  
"No!" she sniffed. "It does not. And even if it did, one: Saf is far away on a ship sending me dreams of the new land they're finding, so you don't have to worry about me making any really unsuitable decisions, and two: it wouldn't be any of your business even if I did."   
  
"Oh, Beetle." And then he'd hugged her until she relaxed and hugged him back.)   
  
It had been part of the idea of reforming all of the nonfunctional parts of her government, a task she might not have undertaken with such enthusiasm if she'd fully grasped at the time that this was the  vast majority. New provisions had been put in place for appointing Ministers, for the way her spy network functioned, for the way everyone from top to bottom were vetted and hired for any jobs within the palace or in any governmental capacity. She had spent months rereading charters and visiting small towns to install trusted persons in each: school teachers, fair judges, new recruits to a reformed Monsean Guard. It had been a monumental attempt at real progression. She was proud of what her country was becoming.   
  
A knock on her door interrupted the steady stream of reports and paperwork as she flipped through each. A wave of recognition overcame her.  _Po_ .   
  
He stepped inside, smiling, and took her hands to kiss them. "We are here, obviously, Beetle. Giddon's getting food--you know how Katsa rides. We're to have lunch in Katsa's rooms."   
  
She smiled, stepping around the desk to go with him. "I am  _very_ glad to have you. Will you stay for long?"   
  
"Katsa and I are due to head to King's City. Skye's requested us. Giddon is, I believe, staying." They stepped into the hallway. "Do you still have the arrangement with Giddon to only tell him the truth?"   
  
"What? What sort of question is that?"   
  
Po shrugged. "Just wondering."   
  
Giddon didn't bother to contain his smile when he saw her, bending low to kiss her hands. "Lady Queen. It's been too long." Bitterblue smiled, enjoying his familiar face and warm eyes, and began to understand why Po had asked.   
  
"I hope," she said carefully, "that you will stay for a very long time, Giddon."   
  
His smile widened. "Lady Queen. I would do anything you asked."   
  
Po coughed, then, and the moment was broken, but Bitterblue couldn't help but remember over lunch that she no longer was required to marry any sort of person at all, and how glorious that was.


End file.
